Born from the peasantry family of John Mokgawtsana in the village of Motetema in Grobersdal (Limpopo), indeed the tallest tree has fallen.
Since we met in underground structures of the South African National Student Congress (Sansco) and the Johannesburg Youth Congress, your discipline and tenacity has often guided your actions.
We’ve learnt through our struggles that we need no sounding titles to discharge our responsibilities to serve the people of South Africa.
It was when I introduced you to late comrade Mark Shope that you all of sudden demonstrated your greatness.
Ronny Mokgwatsana went his way, speaking quietly but laughing loudly of human dignity and giving the broader society a beacon of hope that our country shall be free.
Free from small-minded people and cruel system of apartheid that was created to serve the few while the tolling masses of our people are confined to homelands and the townships of our country.
Even when some presented you as useless and unproductive, to us you were and still are a shining diamond among the army of heroes and heroines of our revolution.
During the dawn of our democracy you continued to lead the way by assuring those who felt threaten by the majority rule are safe within the congress movement. It is their home and their future.
You championed the strategy to ensure a democratic government should remain rooted within the masses of our people.
In recognising that role, working together with other cadres, you worked tirelessly to develop guidance in ensuring that we have community development workers to fulfil that vision.
This is a vision that OR Tambo, Helen Joseph, Joe Slovo and others understood very well. You were an organic intellectual, a Marxist, a social democrat and internationalist.
Your name will not be read or written in major books, but to the people of South Africa, especially those who knew you and your capabilities, you will always be remembered as a soldier who fought a good fight.
You never raised your voice about not benefiting from tenders. This was due to your deepest understanding of basic tools of analysis that will advance our country to become a united, democratic, non-sexist, united and prosperous one.
You were one of us. As you leave this world, please assure the forebears of our revolution that despite the challenges facing our glorious movement, we shall overcome. The song has ended, but the melody lingers on.
Robala Kakhutso Mokone! Senatla sa dinatla! Rest in peace! Qhawe lama qhawe!
Alex Sithole
ANC PCO, Tramway Street
